Nine injured as drunk firemen brawl

DHERADUN: An argument over duty timings led to a brawl between 10 drunk firemen at the Grastanganj fire station in Pauri district. Nine firemen were injured, and two received stitches on the head. Superintendent of police Ajay Joshi suspended nine of the men and sent one of them to police lines. Ten of the 19 fire department personnel at the fire station got into an argument over indoor duty assignments and threats were exchanged on Saturday night. “Soon they attacked each other with iron rods and wooden sticks,” Joshi told TOI. The SP said station fire officer Madan Kumar Khatri tried to intervene and stop the clash. A police team later rushed to the spot. “None of the injured firemen is in a serious condition. Two received stitches in the head and others suffered minor injuries. All of them have been discharged from hospital,” Joshi said. He denied the use of firearms in the incident. “I have gone through the medical reports and none of them has suffered gunshot injuries. Other firemen stationed at Grastanganj have also denied the use of firearms,” he said. Joshi said that the matter is being investigated by chief fire officer Sandeep Kumar Rana.